Isibonelo Colliery is situated in the Mpumalanga Province between the towns of Kinross, Secunda, Bethal and Kriel near the northern margin of the Highveld coalfield of Mpumalanga.

The Vryheid formation was intruded with dolerite dykes surrounding the study area. The geology of the area consists primarily of sandstone, shale and coal beds of the Vryheid formation, denoted by (Pv). The Vryheid formation was intruded with dolerite dykes surrounding the study area. Overlying this area, especially in the parts directly next to the river, are alluvial and aeolian sands.

The lower two coal seams (No.1 and 2) are absent over the eastern and southern parts of the coalfield. The No.4 Coal Seam is economically the most important coal seam within the study area and is the coal seam which has historically been mined and is currently being mined at Isibonelo Colliery. Four low-lying coal floor areas are present in the North Pit, North-West and South-East. The coal seam topography and aerial extent are commonly controlled by pre-Karoo topography and steeper dips are encountered where the seams pinch out against pre-Karoo hills.

Bituminous coal seams hosted by the sedimentary strata in the Isibonelo Colliery Mining Licence area include, from the base up, the No 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 seams. The No 4 seam is an average opencast depth of 40m and a thickness of 5,6m.

The Isibonelo Colliery is an open cast thermal coal mine located approximately 150km east of Johannesburg and 90km south of eMalahleni in the Mpumalanga province of South Africa.

The Isibonelo Colliery consists of two open cast pits with mining focusing on the No. 4 seam. Mining takes place utilising draglines and truck and shovel equipment.

Coal produced at this mine is supplied to Sasol Synfuels under a Coal Supply Agreement and based on current mine plans operations are expected to cease in 2026.

The Colliery does not have a coal preparation plant and all raw coal is crushed, screened and analysed. Crushed and screened coal is transported via conveyoer from the mine by a 22km conveyor to the Sasol Synfuels stockyard.

The crusher plant is located 5 - 8m below ground-level with the overland conveyor exiting to ground-level at a 16 degree angle. The tipping ramp is about 15m above ground level with an additional 1 - 2m housing on top of this concrete structure. The tipping bay is enclosed by the steel housing and a security fence and lighting was installed around the plant.